Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-07-15
CAMAS PRAIRIE.
Its Geographical Features, IA.
TtcutturGJ and Pastoral
Resources, Etc, Etc.

wide and comprises about twelve town.
ships, which makes it the largest tract Of
agricultural land lying in one body In
the territory of Idaho. The prairie may
be described as the table lands situated
on the low divide between the Salmon
and Clearwater rivers. These streams
run parallel with each other. the Sal
mon on the south and the Clearwater
on the north. These rivers run through
deep canyons, and access to the prairie
is had by way of the many transverse
ravines which head on the prairie and
run down to the rivers. The topog-
raphy Of the country is that Of gently
rolling prairie. The bedrock is basalt
OF volcanic origin, as is proven by tho
depth and character Of the rich, black
soil, and by the of basaltic scc.;: visible
in the gulches and elsewhere. Tho
basaltic bedrock is porous and under.
ground streams of water run through Il,
and by judicious use Of water witch
water can be found anywhere on the
prairie at depth Of from ten to sixty
feet. In addition 10 this never failing
underground supply. the prairie is was-
cred by several living streams which put
into the Salmon and Clearwater. OF
these, Cottonwood is the largest. Il
heads in Craig's mountain on the west
side of the prairie, traverses the north.
ern end of the prairie, crosses the reser.
vation and enters the south fork Of tho
Clearwater. Other creeks are Three
Mile, Butcher. Johns and Grave creeks
which together with their several
branches make this prairie the best
watered country we know of.
We could fill whole pages Of this fam.
lily journal with enthusiastic gush over
the uniform high grade excellence Of
the soil of Camas prairie and the pro-
ducts thereof. We could dwell for
hours on the temperate salubrity Of its
climate, where plowing is done in Janu-
ary and where crops planted as late in
season as the last OF May never fail to
fully mature. A detailed description Of
the surroundings, mere outline Of the
wealth of timber and other natural ad.
vantages and narration of the multi.
plicity of the attractions possessed by
Camas prairie would fill big book, but
If all the dictionaries of our mother
tongue are exhausted of their laudatory
adjectives in order to apply the same to
descriptions of the prairie, the language
used would still fall short Of the truth.
"The half had not been told" concern
ing the undeveloped wealth of this agri-
cultural wonderland, the gem Of this
great and glorious territory of Idaho.
In short, Camas prairie is all that 1t has
ever been cracked up to be.
Owing to the temporary absence Of Q
certain market for the products Of the
prairie, its residents are largely engaged
in the pastoral pursuit of stock raising.
Nearly everybody has cattle, horses and
sheep to sell, and this is indeed the
staple industry, and the sales Of surplus
stock are annually increasing. The
sales for May and June of this year
averaged $4,000 month. This coun-
try is truly the paradise of the farmer
and stock raiser. The frosts Of winter
usually put in an appearance about the
last of November, and such is the mild
temperature Of the climate that snow
seldom stays on the ground moro than q
week, while in the lower attitudes of the
adjoining river canyons it nearly always
disolves as it falls, thus affording limit
less winter pasture for stock. The warm
Chinook winds which come up from the
southwest remove the snow in a few
hours. The lowest temperature we have
had for the last two winters was % be-
low zero, and that only lasted for two
nights. Plows we're running on the
prairie up to December %, 1885.
1t is impossible to conceive q more
enchanting picture than that presented
by Camas prairie at this stage of the
royal summer season, when q hundred
different varieties of wild flowers inter-
mingle their colors with the luxuriani
growth of wild grasses. making 4
variegated carpet Of vegetation beautifn
to behold. The prairie speaks for itsell
in terms SO much stronger than any oul
poor pencil can com mand, the sight d
such a lavish display Of agricultural
bounty awaiting utilization by the han
dicraft of man, inspires q multitude o
thoughts concerning its possibilities o
future greatness when railroads shall
enter it and develop the versatile en-
dowments Of this highly favored region